Garment-presser



E. A. HERR.

GARMENT PRESSER. A-PPL|CATION,FILED OCT- 29. 1920.

Patented J ma e 28, 1921.

new qu 2' SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. A. HERR.

GARMENT PRESSER.

A-PPUCATION FILED OCT- 29, 1920- 1,382,726. Patented June 28, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD AUSTIN HERB, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GARMENT-PRESSER;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD AUSTIN HERB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar'ment-Pressers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an easily manipulated portable device for pressing trousers and particularly to simplify and improve the construction, whereby the cost of manufacture will be reduced and a practical, durable article produced.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a trousers presser embodying my present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end View;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the heater;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation of the clamp for securing the bottom of the trousers; v

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the clamp for securing the waist of the trousers; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII of Fig. 4:.

In carrying out my invention I employ two presser plates 1 and 2, of aluminum or thin sheet steel or other material, which have their side edges converging toward one end whereby the are made to conform generally to the s ape of a trousers leg. I also employ a heating and moistening member 3, which in use is disposed between the presser plates. The presser plates are rolled at their side edges to provide longitudinal reinforcing flanges 4, and transverse beads or ribs 5, are pressed out from the plates to resist any tendency of the plates to buckle. Flat longitudinal beads 6 are also formed in the presser plates, thereby producing shallow grooves on the inner faces of the plates to accommodate the extra thickness of cloth at the seams of the trousers. The plate 2 is provided at its narrower end with an offset extension 7 upon which the bottoms of the trousers legs may rest. At the sides of this extension are short posts 8, each consisting of a strip of metal doubled on itself and provided in its inner branch 9 with a vertical series of slots 10, to receive the reduced terminals 11, of a clamping bar 12, which is adapted to extend across Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11116 Application filed October 29, 1920. Serial No. 420,341.

and bear upon the end of the upper trousers leg and thereby secure the garment in place.

A lining 13 of felt or other fabric is provlded and secured to the inner faces of the presser plates in any convenient or preferred manner. This lining forms a cushion for the trousers legs and serves as a heat retainer and moisture absorber thereby preventing water wrinkles.

The wider ends of the presser plates are curved as shown at 14, so that the waist portion of the trousers may be outside the plates when the device is in use and bunching and crumpling of the cloth about the hips, crotch and pocketsis avoided.

At each corner of the wider end of the plate 2 is a bracket or supporting arm 15, which has its free portion extending inwardly with respect to .the plate. Upon the upper and lower sides of both brackets I mount a clamping jaw consisting of a leaf spring 16, secured firmly at one end to the bracket and having its free end formed with a fiat portion 17 to bear against the support on the waistband of the trousers vplaced thereon, the extremity of the spring being curved away from the support, as at 18, to facilitate the insertion of the trousers body between the holding spring and the support. The waist portion of the trousers is held by and between the clamps at the opposite edges of the presser plate and the supporting arm enters the fold of the trousers between legs so that each clamp engages the outer side of one leg and the trousers are firmly secured back and front at the hip end. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific form of clamp shown but may employ any securing means having spaced spring arms and an intervening supporting strip.

At convenient points of the side edges of the lower presser plate I secure holding devices each consisting of a resilient post 19, having a vertical series of slots or openings 20, to be engaged by a projection or lug 21 on the upper presser plate, so that the plates will be held firmly to thetrousers.

Guiding lates 22 are also provided on the edges of the lower presser plateto extend past the upper plate and effect proper registration of the plates when they are being brought into operative relation.

The heating and 'moistening member 3, is flat and hollow and conforms closely in outline to the presser plates, so that, in use, it may be disposed between the legs of the trousers. The heating and moistening member may vary in the detail of its construction, b utin the illustrated form consists of an electric conductor 23, disposed between sheets of asbestos or otherinsulation 24', and having its terminals 25 extending through and beyond the edge of the member. The member thus constructed is wrapped in any suitable moisture retaining cloth or fabric 24, and to protect the asbestos, it may be coated with a moisture resisting varnish or other liquid.

When it is desired to press a pair of trousers, the wrapping of the member 3 is slightly moistened. One trouser leg is placed over the lower presser plate, care being observed to bring the seams over the groove of the rib or projection 6. The lower end of the trouser legis secured by the clamp 12, after which the leg is stretched into shape and the back and front creases engaged between the lower springs 17 and the respective arms 15, thereby stretching the broad end of the-trousers at the crotch or hips transversely. The member 3 is then placed on the stretched trousers leg and the other trousers leg stretched over said member and secured by the upper clamps 16 and the clamp 12, although, as indicated in Fig. 3, the clamp 12 may be used to secure the lower leg only and a second similar clamp 26 may be provided to secure the upper leg. T e upper presser plate is then secured in place over the upper trousers leg and the terminals 2 5 engaged in an electric lamp socket or otherwise connected with a source of electric energy.

The member 3 serves as an additional pressing member as well as a heater and moistener and its use avoids the formation of double creases and obviates the necessity of placing the creases exactly one over the other. By arranging the member 3 between the'legs of the trousers an approximately even distribution of heat and moisture is given to both sides of the two trousers legs simultaneously.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

1. A garment presser comprising presser Lnembers and an lntermedialte heating mem- 2. A garment presser comprising presser members and an intermediate moistening member.

3. A garment presser comprising presser members and an intermediate moistening and heating member.

4. A garment presser comprising presser members and an intermediate electrically heated member.

5. A garment presser comprising presser members and an intermediate heating and presser 7 member.

6. A garment presser comprising presser members, and a heating and moistening member arranged between the presser members, said heatlng and pressing member consisting of an electrical resistance coil, sheets of asbestos housing said coil, and a moisture-retaining wrapper around said sheets.

7. A garment presser comprising presser members, an intermediate heating and moistening member, and means at one'end of the members for securing the garment transversely.

8. A garment presser comprising presser members, an intermediate heating and moistening member, and garment securing means at one end of a presser member, comprising a pair of spaced clamps and an intermediate support between the clamps.

EDWARD AUSTIN HERR. 

